Lord and Taylor / never again!

For Mother's Day I chose to purchase a few items at Lord and Taylor. I bought 2 pairs of earrings, in which of course, i bought matching necklaces for each pair. I was very excited about my purchase since I knew it was something my mother would love and I knew the merchandise was good quality. The sales associate was very helpful since she placed the jewlery in a box and placed it all in a bag with tissue paper.

Well, as excited as I was, I couldn't wait to hand my mother her gift. As my mother opened one of the boxes, she gasped at how beautiful one necklace was. Unfortunetly as she tried to place it on her neck she noticed the clasp wasn't hooked on with the necklace. It was undone with the rest of the necklace so when she undid the clasp the necklace just separated. So, of course, I decided to go back to Lord and Taylor and hopefully find a resolution in my position.

So, now I'm at the counter and I go over to the lady and explain my situation. I explain that the clasp was undone with the necklace and that I wasn't trying to return it but that I wanted a new one so that my mother would be able to wear it. She then, very rudely, tells me that they don't sell garbage and that I must have been very rough with it. I explain to her that I indeed was not and that if I could have, I would have fixed it but there was no way to since it didn't have a hook to clasp. (And just for information, I'm a Store Manager for an accessory/jewlery store so it would not have been a problem for me to fix the jewlery if it was able to be fixed since I do it as a living) She then proceeds to tell me that I am lying and goes on to show me all the other necklaces and how they all have working clasps. I then, once again, explain to her, that I am not trying to return the necklace but instead trying to get a new, working one. I tell her that I did not touch the necklace since I wasn't the one to place it in the box and my mother wasn't even able to place it on her neck since the clasp didn't work. I explain to her that it's not impossible to sell a broken or damaged one by mistake. I work at a jewlery store and jewlery can be damaged upon shipment. Needless to say, with a very rude attitude, she exchanges the necklace for me. She stays near the register area with my information for a while, looking at me with a dirty face every chance she gets, before finally coming over to me. She then proceeds to staple my receipt with a new one. But, before she even says anything I attempt to thank her, but she cuts me off and looks me in the eyes and says, "You better be honest with me. Tell me the truth on how you broke it. I know we don't sell garbage and you are just a rough and damaged person." I look at her with disgust and rather than say something I really wanted to say, I simply grab the box and walk away. It's not like I wanted my money back, I simply wanted a necklace my mother could wear. I wasn't looking for an attitude but I obviously got that instead.

I am truly disgusted at the service that Lord and Taylor sales associate provided today. It is sad to say, but it makes me not want to shop there anymore. What makes matters worse, I preferred that store over any other high end retailers. I think as of next month, I might cancel my Lord and Taylor credit card and just never shop there again. I was willing to spend almost $400 on jewlery so obviously money wasn't a factor for me. I was simply expecting pleasant, competent customer service as I had received the day I bought my merchandise but instead received an appalling attitude with wrongful accusations.

Comments

Lord & Taylor is a Rip-Off company. We supplied them with our merch. We broke our backs to get their order to them! We did everything right and got clearence when we shipped items late.
Our terms were simple eventhough there system is backwards and tedious. We send them our goods and they pay Net30. They received all our products and sold them all! 90+ days later we have yet to see a the check and they send us a letter regarding their chargback system. Well they charged us about $3, 000 in misc chargebacks. This company looks like its on the down. I guess they make money by screwing people over. They are scammers and have poor craftsmenship when it comes to business and as we all know; poor craftsmanship is a sign of a poor spirit. There are plenty of other business's out there that care about their customers and vendors; Lord & Taylor is not one of them. Lord & Taylor is part of the old school, old money, take what you can and give nothing back mentality. Thank GOD companies like these are now DINOSAURS! Its not sad to see these large vampire companies going out of business!

SO ON OCT 10TH, I OPEN A LORD AND TAYLOR CHARGE CARD ACCOUNT AND WAS ENTITLED TO THE "NEW ACCOUNT HOLDER DISCOUNT" FOR THAT SAME DAY. I SPEND $810, WHICH INCLUDES A COAT FOR $350, WHICH THEY HAD TO SHIP TO MY HOME SINCE THEY DID NOT HAVE MY SIZE 10 ON THE RACK. I PAY FOR MY TOTAL $810 PURCHASE WITH MY NEW CREDIT CARD and THE RECEIPT SHOWS A DATE OF OCT 10TH. BUT...WHEN THE BILL ARRIVES 30 DAYS LATER THERE WAS NO DISCOUNT FOR THE SHIPPED COAT. THEY EXPLAIN THAT THE COAT ORDER DID NOT GO THROUGH UNTIL OCT12, SO I WAS NOT ENTITLED TO THE DISCOUNT. DISGUSTING!!! THE PROPER RESPONSE WOULD BE "YES, MAAM, IF YOUR RECEIPT SHOWS THE 10TH THEN YOU ARE ENTITLED TO THE DISCOUNT". IDIOT EMPLOYEES, TRY THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX!!! AS I STAY ON THE LINE AND PROBE TO FIND THE IGNORANCE BEHIND THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP, I FIND OUT THAT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE WOMAN ON THE PHONE WAS NOT LORD & TAYLOR, BUT RATHER GE SERVICES WHO WAS ONLY INTEREST IN COLLECTING THE MONEY AND HAD NO INTEREST IN UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM.. SHE OFFERED TO SUBMIT A DISPUTE WHICH SHE SAID WOULD BE HANDLED IN ABOUT 60-90 DAYS. GET WITH IT LORD AND TAYLOR!!!, YOU CAN BUILD AN ENTIRE CITY IN 90 DAYS, WHY 90 DAYS TO FIGURE OUT YOU MADE AN ERROR ON ONE PIECE OF MERCHANDISE. IT CERTAINLY MAKE YOU LOOKS LIKE IDIOTS!!!. AND SO I WILL CANCEL THIS LORD AND TAYLOR CARD, I DON'T NEED YOUR INCOMPETENCE IN MY LIFE.

I just bought over a coupon my mother cut out for me with a $15 bonus. The used to always have these and honor them. When I get to the store they said somewhere else on the flyer, you cut off from the coupon it said you had to spend $50. Well I did not want to spend $50 that day. It did not say it on the coupon with all the other find print at all where it should have been. You have to be careful at this store because they are sneaky with the discounts. They used to be a lot more legit. I find this invalid and unfair. I spend load of money in that store. Mean while the women who the my salesperson originally asked keeps looking back and giving me, the customer nasty looks. I spend loads of money in that store and will not be doing it again.

Ordered a designed bag online, but they sent me a completely different model. I called to complain, but they never offered a free return shipping label or to ship me the correct model in exchange. Said to just send it back, and they would look at it in the warehouse and not charge return shipping. Well, they actually did charge return shipping. Took multiple phone calls to get the charges removed. No respect for my time.

First of all, their claim that return shipping is FREE is so deceptive. I called multiple times before and after purchasing 2 different sized dresses, to make sure i understood the return process as I intended to return one of the dresses that didn't fit. I searched on their website and finally found hidden in layers of of their site pages, that Sure the return shipping is free but they charge you a re-stocking fee! of $6.95. I don't know any stores that do that. And it's still confusing because their reps tell me conflicting info. Apparently if you use their return sticker label that comes with your shipment, you will not be charged return SHIPPING, and i was led to believe there is NO COST PERIOD. DECEPTIVE.

During one of my calls to customer service before i returned it, I found out I could use a COMPLIMENTARY label, which he emailed to me. (WHY didn't any of the other 5 reps tell me this all those times I called?) I must have spent over half an hour talking to the guy (and hours talking to reps over 3 mos) to make sure i understood their policy and to be assured I would NOT be charged returning with this special label. I printed it out, taped it to the package, made a copy of it, and took it to UPS. The label has a black bar on the edge that has white font COMPLIMENTARY running down the side.
Reading so many negative reviews of major hassles to nightmares, I'm feeling really blessed to at least have gotten my dress cost credited back to my Visa.
But they somehow- mistakenly or fraudulantly CHARGED MY CREDIT CARD $6.95!

So i called and the guy said "Yes I see you did use a Complimentary label" so I should get my money credited back. So he put in a claim and he was positive I would get an email that I'd be getting the credit and see it posted within 3 weeks, as it takes some time (now i know why- they delay and something's not right that causes all these errors and/or internal fraud.) It was beginning to not be worth my time to get back less than $7. But i was relieved it was over.

No it wasn't. 3.5 weeks later, 7-29-16 I called and the rep was so rude, kept interrupting and talking over me, and scolded me to listen to her!, sternly, loudly called my first name 2x to interrupt me, as I tried to reason with her. She was like an angry mother mad at her little child.
I was not yelling, nor irate, nor attacking. She couldn't listen or understand the logic that THEY made the mistake. THE REP ACTUALLY HUNG UP ON ME! Seriously? wow.
(I called back, even more angry and that rep was much better, very kind. After awhile, I asked her if I seemed mean or provoking and she said no, that i was fine, sounded very nice.)

So that prior mad rep was very provoking, challenging me to provide proof of the label, which i had! Then (with her frustrated attitude) “ok take a pic and send it to me.” Which i did. Then surprised, she had to go talk to a supervisor. Certainly it would be ok now, someone in authority to see how ludicrous this is... any company with all the evidence I have would just refund the customer $6.95 simply for the sake of smart marketing practice. NOT Lord & Taylor. Are they from a different era of doing business?

Apparently, my claim case was closed because "We do not charge for returns with Complimentary Label." Since i used one, that made no sense and she didn't get it. She said "YOU MUST HAVE USED A DIFFERENT LABEL! No i didn't because i have the original return label right here. And to this day I clearly remember carefully packaging my dress, taking an hour to make sure i did everything perfect and writing notes, including on the copy "Used This Label for Return" so in the papers of all my phone call notes, the dress receipts and labels, I would remember what i did, what was said. I asked i that angry lady if they could check to see the label, and she said I'd have to call my credit card company and dispute it. She hung up on me as I spoke. I didn't get a chance to ask her about the prior re, who submitted my claim, having told me he saw I did use the Complimentary Label.

There is something seriously amiss with Lord & Taylor's internal management. Poor training? Incompetency? Internal individual fraud? Corporate unethical practices? I don't know, but...
Oh, now I DO know, because I have found a shockingly large number of complaints on multiple online sites. I affirm what Vendor 267 wrote on 27th of Feb, 2009: "There are plenty of other businesses out there that care about their customers and vendors; Lord & Taylor is not one of them. Lord & Taylor is part of the old school, old money, take what you can and give nothing back mentality."
I have gathered that many employees have angry, bitter "poor spirits, " with false accusation, blaming the customer. They cause "crazy-making" where they attack with provoking and accusation, won't listen with a genuine attempt to understand customers' rationally trying to resolve the issue, and then they blame the CUSTOMER for causing the conflict!!! Too many of my experiences with their customer service reps was like dealing with a mentally ill person that has not gotten treatment for their Reactive Attachment Disorder or Borderline Personality Disorder. If you understand those, that sums up dealing with Lord and Taylor.

A vast majority of Lord & Taylor employees seem to have a defensive attitude, trickling down to customer service from arrogant corporate executives. Their policies are out-dated, back to when company owners were selfish "takers, " taking advantage of customers and business associates, rather than conforming to the wiser practices of assuming the customer is right, and going out of their way to accommodate. That would be smart marketing and greatly increase their profits.
Lord and Taylor: it's so disheartening to see your unhealthy (as in sick) business practices. Join 2016 corporations and small businesses alike, with basic kindness, actually caring for customers, being reasonable to resolve problems, instead of being rude, disrespectful, manipulative and controlling, acting like you must enforce some religious law on your customers.